A View from the ice: A historical victory

November 28, 2008|By Jim Ryan

Oh, so sweet… Our first game of the 2008-2009 Blue Devil hockey season was a complete success. Regardless of the score, the atmosphere was amazing, and you could feel the anticipation in the air throughout the game. Our 4-0 win over the perennial Big North and Great North Conference powerhouse Alpena Wildcats made a statement about the type of team we are going to be this season.

Our defeat of the Wildcats signified the beginning of the 'Wilkinson Era' in our hockey program. Our goal is to use our speed to our advantage and play an uptempo style of hockey to leave our opponents in the dust. That goal was most definitely apparent in our game Tuesday night, for the Wildcats appeared flustered from the get-go by our quickness and movement without the puck. All the expectations and anticipation made this performance worth the wait for all the guys in the locker room as well as the people in the stands.

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From the minute I stepped onto the ice for pregame warmups I knew that I was going to be a part of history. All the hype leading up to the game left us no choice but to come out hard and prove ourselves to each other and our fanbase. For those who don't know, Tuesday's win was the first time that any Blue Devil hockey team has ever defeated the Wildcats at home. This was a huge accomplishment for us, and was one of our big goals we established at the beginning of the season.

As for the game itself, after we got out the first period jitters we played to our expectations. Some standouts were captain Matt Zaremba who totaled 4 points on the night, and Brandon Knopp, the holder of the first shutout of the season. Matt Elswick and captain Cody Fitzgerald also logged crucial minutes while putting significant pressure on the Wildcat's defense.

The pregame introductions were an amazing way to give way to the new season! A couple of the parents spearheaded the job of making our entrance onto the ice a truly special experience. A spotlight was beaming down on us as we exited the locker room and skated one-by-one onto the ice, accompanied by an introduction over the P.A. system. The fog machine and streamers hanging from above got our hearts pumping and ready to go out and compete.

I would also like to thank our fans and supporters for coming out watching us make history. The rink was the loudest I have heard it in a while, and you know we love the turnout by the fans! Next week we will do our best to keep the wins coming when we face the Traverse City powers in BNC games. We play TC West Wednesday night at their rink, and on Friday TC Central will make the trip to the Sportsplex to try to defend their BNC championship. For more information on your Gaylord Blue Devils, please visit www.gaylordbluedevilhockey.com

Jim Ryan is a sophomore defenseman for the GHS hockey team. Ryan, also a Herald Times sports assistant, writes a weekly blog for www.heraldtimes.com.